A 31-year-old man was arrested on Sunday afternoon after attempting to divert a domestic flight in Mexico to the United States while it was in the air, according to authorities.
The Airbus A320, which had taken off from Leon, Guanajuato, at around 7:17 a.m. local time, was headed to Tijuana in the northwest.
However, it made an emergency landing at Guadalajara International Airport about 45 minutes into the flight.
“A subject assaulted a flight attendant and attempted to enter the cockpit to divert the flight to the United States,” stated the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection.
Fortunately, the crew was able to subdue the man, who was reportedly traveling with family members, and an emergency landing was arranged in Guadalajara.
According to a report from Volaris, the airline operating the flight, the man claimed that a close relative had been kidnapped and, upon departure from Leon, he was threatened with death if he continued to Tijuana.
Neither the authorities nor the flight operator provided details on the number of other passengers aboard.
After the arrest, the flight resumed its original route to Tijuana.
Guanajuato, the state where the flight originated, is known for being heavily affected by drug cartel violence, including incidents of extortion and kidnapping.
